Best Exercises for Chest Growth (Upper)

[GDADDYG8]

My upper chest is lacking........

I have always geared my training toward basic, free weight, compound exercises and progressives overload.

My shoulders and arms overpower my chest. Particularly in the most muscular pose my upper chest lacks fullness.

I have made amazing chest development with heavy flat bench barbell everywhere but the upper portion. I have switched to incline barbell presses for awhile and not seeing improvement. Assume my diet and rest is on point.

Any suggestions from someone who has been able to bring up a lagging upper chest?


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[danieltx]

Don't stick to barbells - there are no mandatory movements in bodybuilding.

Try all sorts of incline presses:

• Smith machine with low incline - think 10 to 30 degrees
• Hammer Strength plate loaded incline
• Hammer Strength plate loaded super incline - hits the uppermost part of chest more than regular HS incline
• Dumbbell incline

For fly movements, try:

• Single arm pec deck - better range of motion
• Pec deck with seat as low as possible
• Dumbbell or cable overhand grip fly - I feel this really well in my upper chest

Also try pre-exhausting. Start with a few sets of a fly movement then go to your main pressing movement. This has probably been the biggest contributor to my chest development.

You could also try a Slingshot to help overload the chest more.

 

[GDADDYG8]

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[GDADDYG8]

Don't stick to barbells - there are no mandatory movements in bodybuilding.

Try all sorts of incline presses:

• Smith machine with low incline - think 10 to 30 degrees
• Hammer Strength plate loaded incline
• Hammer Strength plate loaded super incline - hits the uppermost part of chest more than regular HS incline
• Dumbbell incline

For fly movements, try:

• Single arm pec deck - better range of motion
• Pec deck with seat as low as possible
• Dumbbell or cable overhand grip fly - I feel this really well in my upper chest

Also try pre-exhausting. Start with a few sets of a fly movement then go to your main pressing movement. This has probably been the biggest contributor to my chest development.

You could also try a Slingshot to help overload the chest more.

I don’t put much merit on fly’s or smith machine but What I am doing isn’t working. Going to give this a try. I was considering switched to weighted dips.


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[rcorchid]

"Pec deck with seat as low as possible".

This is my favorite upper chest movement. The higher you have to reach for the handles the more emphasis you'll get on the upper chest.

 

[Anubis]

Dante posted a vid on his ig that has since disappeared, they only show for a day or 2 when in his stories. It was an exercise where he sat in a hammer press machine ( I want to say the incline but not 100 % sure now), lowered the seat to the very bottom and pressed and then when he got to near bottom he'd hold it for a 5 count and press again. He said do it for a few months and watch your upper chest grow. I tried it a couple times and the pump is just vicious so I'll see how it goes.

 

[Equalizer]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG0VgreC52E&t=520s"]Incline Presses Do Not Really Work the Upper Pecs Much ! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[suppdude]

Dante posted a vid on his ig that has since disappeared, they only show for a day or 2 when in his stories. It was an exercise where he sat in a hammer press machine ( I want to say the incline but not 100 % sure now), lowered the seat to the very bottom and pressed and then when he got to near bottom he'd hold it for a 5 count and press again. He said do it for a few months and watch your upper chest grow. I tried it a couple times and the pump is just vicious so I'll see how it goes.

Still on there. Like his 4th or 5th post on his page

 

[xpoc]

Dante posted a vid on his ig that has since disappeared, they only show for a day or 2 when in his stories. It was an exercise where he sat in a hammer press machine ( I want to say the incline but not 100 % sure now), lowered the seat to the very bottom and pressed and then when he got to near bottom he'd hold it for a 5 count and press again. He said do it for a few months and watch your upper chest grow. I tried it a couple times and the pump is just vicious so I'll see how it goes.

I saw that post and started doing them shortly after. Here is what I remember, but I am sure I am missing some of the finer points. Yes, it was the Hammer Incline. He lowered the seat as low as it could because he is on the tall(er) side, but he said to adjust according to your height. Use a narrow grip. Slide down into the ready position and in doing so the handles should push away from you which will cause you to now support the weight. Push up about 3/4 way (no lockout) and then let it come down as you slowly let the stretch sink in to the bottom position little by little until you are stretched in the bottom position for 5 seconds. That is one rep. Repeat sequence.

 

[Anubis]

Still on there. Like his 4th or 5th post on his page

awesome yes that's the one, i thought that was his single thumbless press vid from the thumbnail... thank you for pointing that out, I was hoping to see it again.

 

[Brickshthouse79]

View attachment 105697


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You look great. How tall are you and what do you weigh?

 

[xpoc]

I saw that post and started doing them shortly after. Here is what I remember, but I am sure I am missing some of the finer points. Yes, it was the Hammer Incline. He lowered the seat as low as it could because he is on the tall(er) side, but he said to adjust according to your height. Use a narrow grip. Slide down into the ready position and in doing so the handles should push away from you which will cause you to now support the weight. Push up about 3/4 way (no lockout) and then let it come down as you slowly let the stretch sink in to the bottom position little by little until you are stretched in the bottom position for a 5 count. That is one rep. Repeat sequence.

NOTE: I found it on his IG page and it is still there. You need to see the vid because he talks about hand placement, high sternum, and a variety of other nuances.

 

[Elvia1023]

Whatever feels best for you. As posted in the other thread on incline presses the chest is not split up like many think. Studies have shown decline-flat presses to target the entire chest more. I still believe in incline work though. I believe the pressing angle makes a massive difference as do various intensity techniques such as paused reps, slow reps, drop sets etc.

I would recommend incorporating more cable work. Ideally cables on either side of you set up fairly high and go as heavy as you can for 8-10 reps. Throw in some higher rep sets. Then movements such as incline/flat/decline db presses, chest dips and up/down the rack press ups. Execution is key and making the chest work as hard as possible without other muscles taking over. If you have to drop the weight slightly to do that then do so. Training volume and frequency may need to be looked at as well.

Ps- You look great so good job.

 

[1bigmofo]

lookin pretty jacked bro! I change up my routines about every 8-10 weeks. I’ll incorporate lots of diffent excercises. For me, I see good strength and size from weighted dips wider grip slow reps to give a lot of time under tension. Probably my favorite excercise for chest. I do also like the smith machine. i put a few 45s under the back of the bench to give it a slight incline. i bring the bar just down below my chin, slow and methodical to get the most time under tension. I also like the seated cable chest press. really allows me to utilize stabalizers, constant tention and a great squeeze. Those are some of the chest movements that i see the most growth from. Main point to stress though is to really focus on time under tension.

 

[GDADDYG8]

Dante posted a vid on his ig that has since disappeared, they only show for a day or 2 when in his stories. It was an exercise where he sat in a hammer press machine ( I want to say the incline but not 100 % sure now), lowered the seat to the very bottom and pressed and then when he got to near bottom he'd hold it for a 5 count and press again. He said do it for a few months and watch your upper chest grow. I tried it a couple times and the pump is just vicious so I'll see how it goes.

Going to have to give this a try. Thanks man!


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[GDADDYG8]

You look great. How tall are you and what do you weigh?

Thank you 5’6” about 189 in this picture. This was a few weeks ago during contest prep. Now in offseason around 210 ish holding a lot of water from contest rebound


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[mytreefiddy]

I like supersetting with push-ups... after each set rip off 12-15 pushups.. for ME, its paid dividends.....

 

[Kaladryn]

I have a very good upper chest, so does my father, I used to do 150lb incline dumbbell press, he just does pushups.

 

[Nyoco]

Give Landmine Presses a try, I´ve been doing them for a couple of months and really like them.

https://youtu.be/UB-rB9n4H-o

 

[GDADDYG8]

Whatever feels best for you. As posted in the other thread on incline presses the chest is not split up like many think. Studies have shown decline-flat presses to target the entire chest more. I still believe in incline work though. I believe the pressing angle makes a massive difference as do various intensity techniques such as paused reps, slow reps, drop sets etc.

I would recommend incorporating more cable work. Ideally cables on either side of you set up fairly high and go as heavy as you can for 8-10 reps. Throw in some higher rep sets. Then movements such as incline/flat/decline db presses, chest dips and up/down the rack press ups. Execution is key and making the chest work as hard as possible without other muscles taking over. If you have to drop the weight slightly to do that then do so. Training volume and frequency may need to be looked at as well.

Ps- You look great so good job.

Thank you for the advice!


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